David Roe

User Profile

I am Marine Conservation Officer for Project AWARE in the Asia Pacific region. I develop science and advocacy based programs for divers and am fortunate to assist many divers and dive centres across Asia Pacific with their conservation projects. Previously I managed sea turtle conservation programs and organised marine conservation projects including a survey of marine fish with volunteer divers. Before this I managed dive operations in Vanuatu and Fiji. My passion and fears for marine environments can be found on my website Silent Reef www.silentreef.com.au

Just back from an awesome week in Singapore, there for the ADEX dive show, dive centre visits and to progress our CITES work for sharks.

ADEX was buzzing this year - more divers, more exhibitors and more enthusiasm for Project AWARE! When I feel this level of support I know sharks stand a fighting chance, and divers can rid the ocean of rubbish!

A new Dive Against Debris initiative kicked off this week in Manly, NSW, Australia. Divers from Dive Centre Manly will integrate a regular Dive Against Debris survey into their dive calendar, as well as report marine debris found on any dive at any time. I was very pleased to get the program rolling by explaining the Dive Against Debris survey during their regular club night.

Last weekend I delivered the AWARE Shark Conservation Diver course to a group of divers from Dive Centre Manly. For our dives we headed to Magic Point in south Sydney, a recognised grey nurse shark aggregation.

Magic Point is an awesome dive. We settled on the gravel bottom in 16 metres a short distance from the sharks - then we simply stayed still and waited. From the beginning we could see the sharks circling, but as they became accustomed to us they swam ever closer. Patience is amply rewarded here - sit still and the sharks come to look at you!

Wet and windy conditions did not stop the Dive Centre Manly dive club turning out in force recently to hear my presentation on shark conservation. Divers love to hear about sharks as much as they love to see sharks while diving. It is just a shame that the shark story is so sad.

I recently came back from the Heron Island Dive Festival where I spoke with divers from around Australia about marine debris and sharks in peril, the two major ocean protection issues being tackled by Project AWARE divers all around the world.

Last weekend the Aussie Fundraiser team hit the road and I was pleased to join divers from St George Underwater Centre to give them a royal send off in true Aussie fashion, with a Dive Against Debris followed by a BBQ.

Last week I attended a meeting of partners to the Protect Our Coral Sea group campaigning for a large, no-take marine park in the Coral Sea. If successful this campaign will create the world's largest marine park over an area so remote from human impacts it is one of the few remaining marine environments that is still virtually pristine.

Last weekend it was my pleasure to Dive Against Debris with club members from Sydney Dive Academy. We did our dive at Bare Island in south Sydney, a site famous for its bright sponges and weedy seadragons, though much more famous for being where they filmed the final action scenes in Mission Impossible II.

Grey nurse sharks are big, beautiful and mostly harmless. And in NSW, Australia they are also critically endangered. With so few along the east coast of Australia every one is precious. But the NSW Government has just lifted restrictions on types of fishing designed to protect grey nurse sharks.

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Debbie Molesworth

David Roe's Blog

The pod was swimming peacefully in Samoa when nets closed in from behind -- trapping 25 wild dolphins for a luxury resort's latest exhibit. They are now locked in tiny pens, starved of food -- but we can free them. Sign the petition to help end the live capture dolphin trade.